Socioeconomic determinants of depressive symptoms in a Polish population

Publication date: Available online 13 August 2015 Source:Mental Health & Prevention Author(s): Bielecki Wojciech, Malczewska. Magdalena, Kwaśniewska Magdalena, Dziankowska-Zaborszczyk Elżbieta, Drygas Wojciech Previous community research has shown a relationshipbetween the incidence ofdepressionanddemographicandsocio-economicfactors in various countries, however, data on Polish population are scarce. The aim of thisstudy was to assessthe severityof depressive symptomsandtheir relationshipwith selecteddemographicand economicvariablesamongadult residentsof Poland. Determinants of prevalence of depressive symptoms were based on the results of a cross-sectional study of a random sample of the Polish population (647 women and 579 men). The presence of depressive symptoms was assessed based on the Beck Depression Inventory questionnaire. The relationship between presenceand severity ofdepressionand demographicandsocioeconomicparameters (such asmarital status, education, income level, economic activity, self-declared health status) was assessed. Symptoms of depression were found in nearly 40% of respondents, more often among women (47.76%) than men (31.78%). High scores on depressive tendencies were associated with low level of education, low personal income, precarious job situation, low health self-evaluation. The lowest ratesof depressionwereamong theunmarriedand the highestamong thewidowedand divorced. Depressive episodes were highly prevalent in the stud...
Source: Mental Health and Prevention - Category: Psychiatry Source Type: research